Should iPhoto library work from an external USB drive?

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Level 1

69 points

Should iPhoto library work from an external USB drive?

I have started to experiment with keeping my iPhoto library on an external USB drive and have been having some problems. When I have a photo in full screen mode and scrolling through the library with the right and left arrow keys I will start getting a black screen instead of the photo. If I exit out of the full screen mode and look at the thumbnail the photo looks fine and if I double click it to fill the window it is OK too.

Also occasionally a photo will show signs of corruption with half of the picture a strange color. Again when looking at thumbnails and double clicking the photo is fine. Then after maybe 20 minutes of use and quitting and restarting iPhoto from the external USB drive the library will show as having no photos.

iPhoto works perfectly when the library is on the internal hard disk or on an external firewire drive so I am wondering whether the speed of the USB drive is causing problems or if it is a faulty drive?

Thanks for any advice

iMac, 17 Powerbook, 12 iBook, Mac Book, Mac OS X (10.5.2)

Posted on May 29, 2008 6:06 PM

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Answer 1

LarryHN

Level 10

106,110 points

May 29, 2008 6:11 PM in response to Kevin Plumb

Do you have a USB I or USB II connection?

Not knowing any more than I do I would guess that you have USB I and that the speed is the problem - as to a faulty drive - that seems less likely but have you run disk utility to verity it and TechTools to test it?

LN

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Answer 2

Kevin Plumb Author

Level 1

69 points

May 29, 2008 6:36 PM in response to LarryHN

LarryHN,

Thanks for the reply. I have USB II and I have verified the disk with Disk Utility and it says the drive is ok. I have also reformatted the drive a couple of times.

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Answer 3

LarryHN

Level 10

106,110 points

May 29, 2008 6:59 PM in response to Kevin Plumb

USB II should be plenty fast - although article shows that firewire can be quiet a bit faster in practical operation. as does <a href="http://www.barefeats.com/usb2.html>" this article</a> so maybe firewire is the answer

LN

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Answer 4

Old Toad

Level 10

207,439 points

May 29, 2008 8:58 PM in response to Kevin Plumb

Kevin:

What do you see if you try to edit one of the photos that give a black screen in the full screen mode? Do you get a black or gray window with an "!" in the middle? That's an indication that iPhoto has broken the link to the original, full sized file. Try the three fixes below in order as needed:

1 - launch iPhoto with the Command+Option keys depressed and follow the instructions to rebuild the library. Select all options.

2 - rebuild the library using iPhoto Library Manager as follows:

Using iPhoto Library Manager to Rebuild Your iPhoto Library

1 -Download iPhoto Library Manager and launch.

2 -Click on the Add Library button, navigate to your User/Pictures folder and select your iPhoto Library folder.

3 - Now that the library is listed in the left hand pane of iPLM, click on your library and go to the File->Rebuild Library menu option

4 - In the next window name the new library and select the location you want it to be placed.

5 - Click on the Create button.

Note: It may take some time to create the new library if you have a lot of photos.

3 - start over with a new library and import the Originals folder from your original library as follows:

Creating a new library while preserving the Events from the original library.

Move the existing library folder to the desktop.

Open the library package like this.

Launch iPhoto and, when asked, select the option to create a new library.

Drag the Originals folder from the iPhoto Library on the desktop into the open Photo window

This will create a new library with the same Events as the original library if you have the Finder checkbox unchecked in the Events preference pane.

This will create a new library with the same Events as the original library if you have the Finder checkbox unchecked in the Events preference pane.

TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto (iPhoto.Library for iPhoto 5 and earlier) database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've created an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger or later), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. It's compatible with iPhoto 6 and 7 libraries and Tiger and Leopard. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.≤br>
Note: There now an Automator backup application for iPhoto 5 that will work with Tiger or Leopard.

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